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The Münchner Stadtmuseum is Germany's largest municipal museum both in terms of its physical size and its extensive collections. These collections cover everything from predominantly Munich-themed graphic art, posters and paintings to fashion and textiles, ethnographic objects, plastic art and arts and crafts. The museum is also home to an important collection of furniture including several art nouveau items. It boasts a Music Collection which showcases a wide range of musical instruments from every continent, and its Puppet Theater / Fairground Attraction Collection traces the cultural history of puppetry through Munich’s own puppet show booths as well as puppets from around the world all displayed in its exhibition rooms. Its Photography Collection shows a mixture of retrospectives and contemporary photography.One of its star attractions are the famous Morris dancers by Erasmus Grasser (1450-1518) which are part of "Typically Munich!", a permanent exhibition about the city’s history. This exhibition explores all that is typical of Munich, and when, and above all, why this came to be the case. A further exhibition, "National Socialism in Munich", charts the emergence and nature of National Socialism in Munich.Finally, the Filmmuseum offers a program which changes daily.

The impressive scale of this museum that has grown organically over centuries is only really evident from the air. The extensive site comprises two spacious interior courtyards framed by four unusually contrasting buildings. The oldest of these, the historic armory built in 1500, faces St.-Jakobs-Platz. The collections annex, which was designed by Gustav Gsaenger at the end of the 1950s, extends to Rindermarkt; and the medieval royal stables – which were reconstructed in 1977 – reach as far as Sebastiansplatz.

With its special program of movie screenings, the Filmmuseum has become a popular haunt for cinema aficionados. The program, which changes on a daily basis, features comprehensive retrospectives, selected premieres, and theme-related film series including both German and international productions. All of the films are screened in their original format and language (with subtitles available in English or German). Silent movies are frequently shown with live musical accompaniment. And directors, actors and other filmmakers often guest at podium discussions following the showings. The collection's major focuses also cover German and Soviet silent movies, early talkies and multilingual movies, avantgarde classics, and productions by Munich filmmakers such as Herbert Achternbusch, Rainer Werner Fassbinder, Wim Wenders, Nicolas Humbert and Werner Penzel.

Over 400 exhibits trace the trials and tribulations of a city which – rightly or wrongly – many people count among their favorite places in the world. The exhibits chart how the city of Munich began to forge an identity of its own – relatively late in its history, following its seven-hundredth anniversary in 1858. They also demonstrate why words such as "city of art and beer" have become so contentious here. And they chronicle the cultural upheavals around 1900, the city’s role during the National Socialist period, and its renaissance as West Germany's "secret capital" during the country's "economic miracle." The residents – and indeed many visitors – all have very strong views on this city. Which explains why the reception of this exhibition is so diverse.
In five sections covering different eras, the exhibition presents the phenomena that epitomize Munich, exploring how long they have been viewed as typical, and above all why they are inextricably associated with the city.

Münchner Stadtmuseum

Soundlab.1 – The Museum Goes Audible13.07.2012 - 31.12.2019

The opening of the completely redesigned foyer in 2012 represents a milestone in the Museum's history and completes the first phase of its Soundlab project. The Soundlab (“Sound Laboratory”) sets out to encourage people of all ages to experiment with sound and acoustics. To this end the Museum has created special "test stations," some of which it has developed itself. Visitors are invited to touch the exhibits at these stations and try out the instruments! Orange panels point the way through the Music Collection. They describe the individual Soundlab exhibits, supply instructions on what to do and encourage a hands-on experience. Every Soundlab station provides useful and interesting information on the origins of the instruments, and instructions on how to play them. Many also feature audio and film examples. No musical skills or knowledge whatsoever are required! The exhibits demonstrate basic ways of producing sounds and their acoustic effects across a broad array of cultures and tra

Münchner Stadtmuseum

National Socialism in Munich01.01.2015 - 31.12.2018

The exhibition displays exhibits pertaining to the emergence, development, and consequences of National Socialism in Munich from 1918 – 1945. Munich as point of origin, headquarters of the NSDAP, ‘Capital of the Movement‘ and ‘Capital of German Art‘: a documentation of contributors, supporters, resistance and victims.

Münchner Stadtmuseum

The "Migration Moves the City" project23.06.2017 - 31.12.2018

Since 2015, the Münchner Stadtmuseum and the Munich City Archives (Stadtarchiv München) have been involved in a joint research project into migration in Munich past and present. Its aim is to conduct an ongoing investigation into migration in our city, with a view to keeping it alive and rendering it visible. The partner institutions are seeking to use the four-year “Migration Moves the City” project to explore some key ideas and take some initial steps towards presenting migration as a core element of the city’s history. To mark the halfway point in the project, the partners are presenting some of their preliminary findings in one of the exhibition areas at the Münchner Stadtmuseum. Between now and the end of 2018, the project team will use this space to share updates on the findings of their research into migration in Munich with the public offering frequently changing displays of objects and content.

Münchner Stadtmuseum

Archaeological Showcase at the Münchner Stadtmuseum: Discoveries from the Marienhof excavations29.11.2017 - 31.12.2018

More than 250 archaeological digs have been carried out in Munich’s old town alone. The major excavations in Marienhof Square in 2011/2012 prompted a number of state and municipal actors of to set up an "Archäologie München" working group. A group of specialists, including archaeologists, botanists, zoologists, anthropologists and historians, have begun to research into the ways in which everyday life, the environment and the city’s appearance have changed since the Middle Ages. The resulting findings are now being presented using the Marienhof site and its multi-facetted history as an illustration. Pottery, glass and leather artifacts provide insights into everyday life and plant remains give us some idea about the diet of Munich’s inhabitants in medieval and post-medieval times. Signs of the city’s more recent history have also been found at Marienhof. The exhibition is a collaboration between the Bavarian State Archaeological Collection and the Münchner Stadtmuseum.

Münchner Stadtmuseum

FORUM 045: Arne Schmitt23.02.2018 - 27.05.2018

The Münchner Stadtmuseum FORUM 045 young photography exhibition showcases two pieces by Arne Schmitt (born 1984, Mayen). This Cologne artist focuses particularly on the architecture of modernity and the postwar period. His works reflect the context in which they were created and the zeitgeist of formative buildings or building typologies. At the same time, they adopt a critical stance towards to the way we currently view postwar architectural history in the Federal Republic of Germany.
The exhibition title, "Personality and System", refers to Schmitt’s pieces: "In neuer Pracht" ("In new splendor"), 2017; and "Mit weniger mehr schaffen" ("Doing more with less"), 2016. These are dedicated to a client for a building and an architect, and their individual accomplishments. The client was Hans Gerling (1915-1991), the insurance company owner responsible for the erection of an imposing corporate headquarters in Cologne, which set the tone for that particular district.